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UEFA president can serve maximum of 12 years

President of the Football Association of Slovenia and candidate for the UEFA presidency Aleksander Ceferin geticulate at the UEFA congress in Athens
Image: Aleksander Ceferin wants a 12-year limit for the UEFA president

Future UEFA presidents will be limited to a maximum of three terms and a total of 12 years in the job.

Past presidents of the organisation had no such restrictions, with former chief Lennart Johansson in charge for 17 years.

Current president Aleksander Ceferin, who replaced disgraced Frenchman Michel Platini in September, has pledged to reform the organisation.

UEFA said part of the reforms approved by the executive committee on Thursday was the "introduction of term limits for the UEFA President and members of the UEFA Executive Committee, with the possibility to serve for a maximum of three four-year terms."

Other changes include granting two member positions on its Executive Committee to representatives of the European Club Association (ECA).

Candidates for election on the committee must also hold an active office in their respective national association.

"I am very pleased that the executive committee gave a unanimous backing to reforms I consider essential for the strengthening of UEFA," Ceferin said.

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"I am convinced that our member associations will also endorse these good governance proposals to create a stronger and more transparent governing body for the good of European football."

The reforms will now need to be ratified at a UEFA congress on 5 April in Finland.

Meanwhile Cerefin will ask FIFA to ensure at least 16 European nations qualify for any expanded version of the World Cup.

FIFA are set to increase their showpiece from 32 to 48 teams in 2026. UEFA also want an assurance that European teams are kept apart in the first round.

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